3 Sneaky Free Agents the Red Sox Should Sign Before Spring Training

Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery won't be coming to Boston, as the Red Sox continue to cheap out across the roster while simultaneously investing $3 billion into the PGA Tour. Despite the front office's aversion to spending on high-end talent, the team could still make a few more moves around the margins prior to the start of spring training.

The Theo Epstein effect, if there will be any discernible difference, remains to be seen after the former Red Sox general manager joined Fenway Sports Group as a senior adviser on Friday.

With their first exhibition contest set for Feb. 23 vs. Northeastern University, there is still some time for the Red Sox to put finishing touches on their 2024 Opening Day roster. Given the lack of sense of urgency and lack of effort this offseason around reconstructing the roster, that could be a competitive matchup. Boston's first regular season game is on March 28 in Seattle against the Mariners.

It's a far cry from the high hopes that Tom Werner instilled in Red Sox fans when he launched his "full throttle" comments in November, but here are three sneaky free agents that the Red Sox could still add before Spring Training gets into full swing.

3. Tommy Pham

If you can't recall Tommy Pham's 53-game Red Sox career in 2022, you're probably not alone. In his abbreviated stint in Boston, Pham hit .234 with six home runs and 24 RBI. The 35-year-old has bounced around four different teams in the last two seasons.

Per Jon Heyman, the Red Sox "like" Pham, who started the season with the New York Mets before joining the Arizona Diamondbacks for their run to the World Series. In 426 at-bats, Pham hit .256 with 16 home runs and 68 runs driven in. He also swiped 22 bags on 25 attempts.

Defensively, Pham spent 36 games at DH, 64 in left, five in center, and nine in right field in 2023. The Red Sox outfield currently consists of Wilyer Abreu, Jarren Duran, Tyler O'Neill, Ceddanne Rafaela, Rob Refsnyder, and Masataka Yoshida.

Abreu and Rafaela have a combined mere 159 MLB at-bats, Refsnyder has been utilized almost exclusively as a platoon player against left-handed pitching, O'Neill has been injury-plagued, and Yoshida might not be able to defend at an MLB level. Pham's ability to trot out at all three outfield positions could help alleviate some of those concerns surrounding the outfield group.

At least eight teams (including the Red Sox) are "showing significant interest" in Pham, per Juan Toribio of MLB.com.